Matthew Soumakis 31 Chicago Located/DECEASED
Mass. businessman reported missing here December 8, 2005 BY LISA DONOVAN Staff Reporter A 31-year-old Massachusetts businessman and expectant father reportedly disappeared while in Chicago for a conference this week. Friends and family of Matthew Soumakis are descending on the city, taping handwritten "missing" posters to area downtown businesses hoping to find the man described as "reliable" and "in touch" -- never hesitating to pick up his cell phone and check in with his wife. He was last seen leaving a bar early Tuesday, but Kelly Soumakis, who is pregnant with the couple's first child, said she hadn't heard from her husband since Sunday night. That's when he apparently called her from the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, 301 E. North Water St. He said he was heading out to dinner. "It was really quick. He said he was going out to dinner with his cousin. He said everything was great and he was going to give me a call back when he dinner, and that was it," she said from the family's Massachusetts home Wednesday night. Kelly Soumakis repeatedly said "this is just uncharacteristic" of her husband and she doesn't know what to think -- other than to remain hopeful for a safe return. Soumakis' mother was the last relative to talk with him, about 6:30 a.m. Monday, but that was nothing more than a normal conversation, as well, friends and family say. Belongings in room Monday night, Soumakis was seen talking with a man -- described as having a gray beard and gray hair -- at Lizzie McNeil's, a bar near the hotel, a bartender told investigators with the Belmont Area Special Victims Unit. Soumakis and the man left the bar together about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, a bar manager, who asked that his name not be used, told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday night. That's the last time Soumakis was seen, friends and family say. He didn't check out of his hotel room Tuesday as scheduled. Clothing, a laptop computer and his other belongings remained, but his wallet and cell phone were missing, and he did not board his flight home in the afternoon. "We know he hasn't checked his messages or anything like that," his wife said. Police told Soumakis' brother they used a sonar device to search the Chicago River in case he went into the water, but nothing was found, said Tom Boyle, who traveled from Boston to search for his friend of 20 years. Boyle said Soumakis, who is in mutual fund accounting, arrived last Friday for a business conference to begin Monday. Other friends and Soumakis' brother came to Chicago on Wednesday to search for Soumakis, and more friends are expected to arrive today. http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-miss081.html

Friends, Family Search Chicago For Missing MA Man Matthew Soumakis Was Last Seen Early Tuesday Derrick Blakley Reporting (CBS) CHICAGO The family of a Massachusetts businessman is frantically searching for him. He came here on business and never made it home. Police boats used sonar to search the Chicago River this afternoon as investigators in unmarked cars scanned the riverbank. Friends also blanketed Streeterville with posters in an effort to find the missing Massachusetts businessman Matthew Soumakis, as his pregnant wife and six-year-old daughter wait nervously at home. “I can't tell you how uncharacteristic this is of him,” said Kelly Soumakis, his wife of eight months. “Matt’s such a reliable person -- a great friend; a great husband. It just doesn’t make sense and so we decided to come out here and try to do something, try to find him and bring him home. just hoping somebody out there recognizes him and will give the Chicago Police a call,” friend Tom Boyle said. Friends became worried when Soumakis missed a Monday morning business meeting at the Sheraton Hotel, where he was staying. They filed a police report. “He’s not the kind of guy that would just not show up, not get on a plane, not call his wife – he’s got a pregnant wife at home… something’s not right,” said friend Eric Pericolosi. Chicago police say Soumakis called his mother Monday morning. But curiously, later that night, Soumakis was reportedly spotted drinking at Lizzie McNeil's bar, just across the street from the Sheraton, for five hours. “Part of me was thinking that maybe he had a stressful day at work, and he decided to skip the conference and have a couple of drinks, but he would still call me,” Kelly said. Soumakis reportedly left Lizzie's at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday with a white male with a white hair and beard. But even though it’s a short walk, he never made it back to his room at the Sheraton. “Tuesday afternoon he was scheduled for a return flight to Massachusetts. He never got on the plane,” said Chicago Police Sgt. Robert Battalini. Chicago police say Matthew Soumakis' hotel room was undisturbed, and his credit cards have not been used. They've recovered his laptop computer and are attempting to search it for clues. Thirty-one-year old Matthew Soumakis is six-feet, one-inch tall, weighs about 230 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing a grey wool jacket. http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_342085554.html

Family Seeks Help, Man Vanishes from NAIC Meeting December 12, 2005 Matthew Soumakis, 31, attending the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Meeting in Chicago last week vanished and the family is appealing for help. The Massachusetts man was last seen in a Streeterville neighborhood bar near the Sheraton Hotel and Towers where the NAIC Meeting was being held. He was reported missing last Tuesday, the day he was scheduled to check out of the hotel. Employees at Lizzie McNeil's pub said that saw a man resembling Soumakis in the bar. According to witnesses, the man resembling Soumakis arrived around 8 p.m. and left with a "distinguished" looking man with gray hair and a beard. The bar is just yards away from the Sheraton Hotel where Soumakis checked in Friday to attend the NAIC Meeting. The Chicago River near the Sheraton Hotel was searched by the police marine unit and its scuba team, but turned up nothing. The river water temperature was about 39 degrees, according to police. Soumakis is married and lives in East Longmeadow, Mass. His wife, Chris, is four months pregnant. He was recently promoted to manager at SS & C Technologies, a financial software company. His laptop, luggage and other personal belongings were found by Chicago Police in the room in the Sheraton. Family and friends, who have flown to Chicago to help in the search are appealing to the public for any information and have passed out fliers. They describe Soumakis as six feet tall with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone who may have seen Soumakis is asked to call the special victims unit of the Chicago Police at 312-744-8266. http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2005/12/12/62895.htm

Body of missing businessman pulled from riverMan disappeared early December December 20, 2005 - Officials say a body pulled from the Chicago River today is that of a missing Massachusetts man. Police say 31-year-old Matthew Soumakis (soo-MAHK'-ihs) of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, disappeared about two weeks ago while in Chicago on a business trip. Authorities say members of the Chicago Police Department Marine Unit pulled his body from the North Branch of the Chicago River this morning. A police investigation into Soumakis' death continues. Family members say he came to Chicago on December Second. His mother last spoke with him by telephone on December Fifth. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=3743750

Body found in river is missing Mass. man December 21, 2005 BY MONIFA THOMAS Staff Reporter Advertisement A body pulled from the Chicago River on Tuesday morning was identified as that of missing Massachusetts businessman Matt Soumakis, police said. An autopsy is scheduled for today to determine whether foul play was involved. Divers from the Chicago Police Marine Unit found the body around 9:30 a.m. near Halsted and Division, roughly two miles from the Sheraton Hotel and Towers where the 31-year-old Soumakis was staying for a conference. Police used a wallet found on the body to identify Soumakis, who was from East Longmeadow, Mass., and was reported missing two weeks ago. Friends and relatives -- many of whom came to Chicago to help with the search -- said Soumakis was last seen the morning of Dec. 6 leaving a Streeterville bar with an older man. But Chicago Police spokesman Pat Camden said Soumakis was spotted leaving the Sheraton after that encounter, making it highly unlikely that person was involved in Soumakis' disappearance. "Our so-called stranger turned out not to be what everyone thought," Camden said. Soumakis' mother was the last relative to speak with him Dec. 5, three days after he arrived in Chicago. Police found Soumakis' luggage, laptop and other belongings in his hotel room shortly after he disappeared. Soumakis, who friends have said was in mutual fund accounting, was married. His wife, Kelly Soumakis, is four months pregnant with the couple's first child. He loved sports, especially his hometown Red Sox and the Patriots, and he looked forward to the Christmas holidays because it was one of the few times each year he was guaranteed to see all of his closest friends, said Tom Boyle, Soumakis' friend of 20 years. Boyle said the discovery of Soumakis' body so close to Christmas was an added blow. "I guess the waiting is over and I guess in some ways, that's a good thing . . . but it's just really hard to believe," he said. "It's just so sad that he's gone and won't be here for the holidays, with the baby and everything." http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-missing21.html